A MAN from Woking has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 14 years, after pleading guilty to murder at Kingston Crown Court.

Shane Canning, aged 30 and unemployed, attacked Kurt McGivern at Canning’s girlfriend’s house in Moorholme, Guildford Road, Woking, on Sunday January 16, 2005. They had been drinking heavily for most of the day when it appears they fell out and started fighting.

Canning viciously assaulted Mr McGivern using objects including a table leg, guitar and bottles of alcohol as weapons. Towards the end of the assault, Canning dragged Mr McGivern down the stairs and threw him outside the front door. He returned and stabbed him twice in the side with a kitchen knife.

Mr McGivern, 35, an engineer from Goldsworth Park, was treated at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey but died later that morning.

DI Rob Cousins, senior investigating officer, said: “Canning launched a ferocious and sustained attack on a man who believed him to be a friend. In all my experience as a detective I have never come across a scene of such devastation. This was an absolute tragedy for Kurt McGivern and his family and the thoughts of Surrey Police are with them.”

Mr McGivern’s family issued the following statement: “The family is relieved it is all over after such a long wait. Nothing can compensate us for our loss but we feel in the circumstances the judgement was appropriate.

“We are very appreciative of the support from the family liaison officer and the hard work of the investigation team in dealing with these tragic circumstances.”